In the scenic heart of California’s Central Coast lies the Five Cities region, renowned for its natural beauty, vibrant communities, and agricultural abundance. Yet, as we all know, water is the lifeblood of this prosperity, and maintaining a stable water supply has been an ongoing challenge. Now, a promising solution emerges: Central Coast Blue, a recycled water project to help stabilize the water supply of the Five Cities area and protect our groundwater basin.
Last winter, our region was granted a much-welcome reprieve from drought conditions. The rain came, and our reservoirs filled, offering temporary relief. However, it’s essential to remember that wet winters are periodic events in the Western United States and only punctuate the normal arid conditions, for which we must prepare.
The water supply for the Five Cities area in south San Luis Obispo County is dependent on two sources: groundwater and surface water. While both are valuable, they are also tenuous and insufficient during extended drought periods. Enter Central Coast Blue. This project is being meticulously planned to provide a critical water supply for the Five Cities area and to improve the reliability of our existing groundwater. Central Coast Blue will purify treated wastewater, which is currently discharged into the ocean, and inject this purified water into the ground to replenish the groundwater aquifer and maximize the beneficial use of our limited water resources.
The benefits of Central Coast Blue are twofold. Firstly, it helps protect our precious groundwater supplies, an essential resource for our communities, by creating a barrier to prevent seawater from entering the basin. Secondly, the injected water provides a new drought-resilient water supply that can serve as a lifeline during extended periods of drought. Central Coast Blue is an excellent example of regional cooperation, with Pismo Beach, Grover Beach, and Arroyo Grande working together on this innovative project with shared governance, decision-making, and funding. Each city will also receive additional water supply commensurate with their respective share of the project costs.
Central Coast Blue can be likened to the generational benefits of Lopez Lake, an investment made by South County communities a half century ago. The Lopez reservoir brought us lasting water supply benefits that we continue to enjoy today. When the residents of the Five Cities area wisely invested in the Lopez reservoir, they secured a reliable source of water that has withstood the test of time. Central Coast Blue will do the same by providing crucial and lasting water supply benefits, even during times of drought.
Central Coast Blue is not just a project; it’s a long-term solution to the challenges that accompany fluctuating climate conditions. It is a commitment to resiliency and sustainability, a testament to the forward-thinking approach of the participating cities, and a legacy we can leave for future generations. With the Central Coast Blue project, we are strengthening our community resiliency for generations to come by securing a reliable and robust water supply. Δ
Geoff English is Central Coast Blue’s general manager. Send a response for publication to letters@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Oct 12-19, 2023.
Recycling water in the 5-Cities is a great idea for many reasons. The concept hS been studied and reviewed by several engineering firms over the past 2 decades. However, all publi projects meed to be approached thoughtfully and serious cost consideration since costs directly impacts everyone/household in the jurisdiction. All alternatives must be thoroughly reviewed and considere6. Objective cost/benefits analysis, with potential alternatives should be produced Ed and included in project discussion. This is ejere the CCB Project fails the sniff test. There’s an alternative that yields all the benefits to the community as the CCB at a fraction of the cost.This can be verified by several engineering studies completed over the past 2 decades.
The current cost estimate for CCB is 93 million dollars for phase 1. This means Phase 2 will likely cost $200M. That is a grand total of ÷
3,000,000,000(three’hundred million dollars)
before all agencies can participate. That could increase our homeless population. It will also drive property vz
alues. Folks on fixed income
and poor families will have to choose between food or water at times.
But do not loose heart. Five Cities can prodi
Uce recycled water with minimal financial impact.We just need to do what is recommended by every engineering study written on the subject, including WSC(lead engineering firm for CCB).
You can get a list of all recycled wster reports/studies at the City of AG website.drill down to the 2o16 Recycled Eater Study. In the studies list of references you will find other studies done on the subject.
Let’s get informed and demand that our community authorities make good(imformed)decisions.